Automatic starting device for motors



L. M. WILLIAMS ET AL AUTOMATIC STARTING DEVICE FOR MOTORS Filed Dec. 21. 1921 mvmroks LM Mum/ 15- C d WITNESSES dzw: 7T

Arm/Mrs Patented Feb. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOY HILTON WILLIAMS AND CHARLES JAMES JEWETT, 011 FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS.

AUTOMATIC STARTING DEVICE FOR MOTORS.

Application med December 21, 1921. Serial No. 523,911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LOY M. WILLIAMS and CHARLES J. JEWF-TT, citizens of the United States, and residents of Fort Smith, in the county of Sebastian and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Starting Device for Motors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relatesto automatic starting devices for automobiles. An object of the invention resides in the provision of means whereby an automobile engine may be started merely by ressing a button and the starter may be isconnected from the en ine automatically.

nother object resides in the provision of means whereby the entire operation of starting the engine and disconnecting the starter from the engine after the engine commences to operate by itself is effected merely by momentarily pressing one button,

the operation of the remainder of the apparatus being entirely automatic.

A further object resides in the provision of means whereby the battery and starting device are automatically cut off from the circuit the instant that they are not needed to turn the engine over, thereby saving the batter and eliminating the danger of injury to t e starting motor.

A still further object resides in the particular construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing and represents a preferred application of the invention, although it is understood that modifications in the construction and arran ment of the parts and in the character ot the materials used may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As shown in'the drawings, the apparatus comprises a starting motor 1 grounded at 2 and provided with series windings 3 and a shunt winding 4 connected by a wire 5 to a magnet winding 6, which in turn is connected by a wire 7 to a stationary contact 8.

A battery 9 grounded at 10 is connected by a wire 11 to another stationary contact 12 operatively amociated in re ation to the stationary contact 8. A switch membar or arm 13 normally spaced away from the contacts 8 and 12 is carried by a movable magneteore 14. This core is energized by a winding 15 grounded at 16 and connected by a wire 17 to a push-button switch 18. This push-button switch is in series with an ignition switch 19 and this in turn is connected by a wire 20 to the battery 9. Whenever the winding 15 is energized, the core 14 is pulled up so that the switch member 13 hridge'sthecontacts 8 and 12. This bridging causes the circuit to be established from the battery ing 6- and the startm motor.

The upper end of t e core 14 is provided with a projecting portion 21, or striker head,

adapted when moved upward to contact 22 one end of which is V with a movable bar provided with a contact 23 to make a circuit through a contact 24 disposed adjacent thereto, One end of the bar 22 is connected 2y a wire 25 to the end of the winding 15.

he contact 24 is connected by a wire 26 to an end of a bar 27 carried by the core 28 of the magnet winding 6. The other end of the bar 27 carries a contact 29 movable with the bar 27 but adapted when moved in a given through said contact, the winddirection to engage with anothercontact 30.

This contact 30 is connected by a wire 31 to a point between the push button 18 and the ignition switch 19. Vhen a definite current is established in the windin 6 of the magnet, the core 28 will be pulled down to close the circuit through the contacts 29 and 30. I

The characteristics of the magnet winding 6 and the core 28 are so. calculated that it requires a definite amount of current to more the core down, preferably that amount of current drawn by the motor 1 when turning over the engine to start the same. This winding is also calculated that after the engine is started the reduction of current drawn by the motor is such as to be insufiicient to hold the core 28 down, whereby any suitable means, such as a spring 32 pulls the core 28 u to break the contacts 29 and 30. On the ot er hand, when current is flowin through the winding 15, the core 14 is held up to bridge the contacts 8 and 12, and when said winding 15 is deenergized, the core drops, breaking the contacts 23 and 24.

In a portion of the device it is first necessary to close the ignition switch 19 thereby insuring that the engine will be started in a condition to pick-up as it is being turned over by the motor 1. After the switch 19 is closed, the button 18 is momentarily actuated. During the instant of time that this button is actuated, a circuit is established as follows: from battery 9, wire 20, switch 19, switch 18, wire 17 winding 15 to ground at 16. This circuit causes the energization of winding 15 whereby the core 14 is pulled up to bridge the switch arm 13 between contacts 8 and 12. This bridging action establishes the following circuit: from battery 9, wire 11. contact 12. switch arm 13, contact 8. wire Y. winding 6, wire 5, through the motor to ground 2. The amount of current drawn by the motor in turning over the engine before the engine becomes energized is sufiicient, in accordance with the design of the apparatus, to cause the core 28 to be turned down, engaging the contacts 29 and 30. This engagement establishes the following circuit: battery 9, wire 20. switch 19, wire 31. contact 30. contact 29, bar 27, wire 26, contact 24, contact 23, bar 22, wire 25, winding 15 to ground at 16. This circuit,

therefore, establishes a holding circuit for the energization of winding 15 which was initially and momentarily energized through the push button 18 and the wire 17, as previously traced. This holding circuit is maintained closed as long as the current through the winding 6 is sufficient to hold the core 28 down. However, the instant the engine starts to turn over. the current demanded by the motor is reduced to such an extent that the flux produced by the winding 6 will not hold the core 28 against whatever means is adopted to pull the core back. This causes a break in the contacts 29 and 30 whereby the holding circuit for the winding 15 is broken. By breaking this circuit the main switch arm 13 is permitted to become disengaged from the main contacts 8 and 12 whereby the battery is dis connected from the motor.

It will be observed that it is merely necessary after closing the ignition switch 19, which is essential to permit the engine to explode. the mixture. to momentarily push the button 18. Instantly the main contacts are closed and the holding circuit is established for the winding 15 which is not broken until the circuit has been reduced below a given amount.

it will be observed that this device is extremely simple in operation and that it requires a minimum amount of attention and effort on the part of the person using it.

A contact 34, adapted to be engaged by the switch 19, is connected with a circuit 33 which controls the ignition designated at 35. the circuit being grounded at 36. When the switch 19 is closed, circuit 33 is energized and the ignition is connected with the battery 9.

What we claim is:

1. An. automatic start-ing device for motors which comprises a main circuit including an electric motor, a battery, a main switch in said circuit. and a magnetic means, a holding circuit including a magnetic means for controlling movement of the main switch, an operators switch connected between the battery and the second mentioned magnetic means, a switch controlled by the energization of the second mentioned magnetic means, and a switch cooperating with the last mentioned switch for closing the holding. circuit and operated upon energization of the main circuit magnetic means.

2. An automatic starting device for motors which comprises a main circuit including an electric motor, a battery, :1 main switch in said circuit, and a coil, a core for operating said switch, a holding circuit including a coil adapted upon energization to actuate the core. an operators switch connected between the battery and the second mentioned magnetic coil, a second switch actuated by said core, a second core associated with the main circuit coil, a switch actuated by the last mentioned core and cooperating with the second mentioned switch for closing the holding circuit.

3. An automatic starting device for motors which comprises a main circuit including an electric motor. a battery. a main switch in said circuit, and a magnetic means, a holding circuit including a magnetic means, an operators switch connected be tween the battery and the second; mentioned magnetic means, a switch actuated simultaneously with the main circuit switch upon energization of the second mentidned magnetic means, and a switch actuated upon energization of the main circuit magnetic means for closing the holding circuit.

LOY MILTON WILLIAMS. CHARLES JAMES J EWETT. 

